Quick pickles are ready in a few hours – rather than a few weeks. They are crisp and flavorful, a wonderful addition to any entree.
I really enjoy making homemade pickles. They are so wonderfully crispy and flavorful, and it’s fun to change things up and use different vegetables, vinegars, and seasonings.
I almost always have a jar of these refrigerator pickles in the fridge. I especially love them with various cold leftover meats.
The ingredients you’ll need
You’ll only need a few simple ingredients to make refrigerator pickles. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below. Here’s an overview of what you’ll need:
Sturdy vegetables: I like to use sliced carrots and green beans, but you can use other sturdy vegetables such as cauliflower florets.
Apple cider vinegar: You can also use white wine vinegar or champagne vinegar.
Kosher salt: Please don’t use fine salt in this recipe.
Spices: Whole peppercorns, whole coriander, and a dry bay leaf.
How to make quick pickles
Traditional pickling is an elaborate process, but this is an easy recipe. Scroll down to the recipe card for the detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps:
1. First, you place the vegetables in a glass jar.
2. Combine water, vinegar, salt and spices in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat.
3. Allow the mixture to slightly cool, then pour it over the vegetables, cover and refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight. That’s it! So easy.
What vegetables to use?
The combination presented in the recipe card below is the one I use most often, but you can use any sturdy vegetable.
I often use carrots and green beans. But other vegetables that should work well are thick spears of asparagus, cauliflower florets, and radishes.
The apple cider vinegar is very tasty. But you can change this up too and use, for example, white wine vinegar or champagne vinegar. However, I don’t recommend using distilled white vinegar. It’s too harsh and acidic.
You can also make this dish spicy by adding a couple of hot chili peppers to the pickling jar. Just make sure no one actually tries to eat them!
How long do homemade quick pickles last?
Being homemade, they don’t have any preservatives. So they won’t last as long as store-bought pickles. I suggest keeping them for no longer than a week, in a sealed jar in the refrigerator.
What to serve with them?
Anything, really! I most often serve them with hamburgers or with grilled chicken breasts. I also like to make myself a lunch plate with cold cuts, cheese, hard-boiled eggs (or deviled eggs), and quick pickles. It’s actually one of my favorite lunches.
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Homemade Quick Pickles
INGREDIENTS
- 2 cups sturdy vegetables I used 1 cup sliced carrots and 1 cup green beans
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 garlic clove, peeled
- 1 tablespoon whole peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon whole coriander
- 1 bay leaf
INSTRUCTIONS
- Place the vegetables in a 20-ounce glass jar. Make sure it's made from a thick glass that can withstand near-boiling water.
- Combine the remaining ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat.
- Allow the mixture to slightly cool, then pour it over the vegetables. Cover tightly, and refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight.
NOTES
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Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, Reader's Digest, and Better Homes and Gardens.